


Street Fighter

by 99whatever



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternative Universe - Black Mirror Episode: s05e01 Striking Vipers, Endgame Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, F/M, M/M, Married Eddie Kaspbrak, Minor Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reddie, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23116561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/99whatever/pseuds/99whatever
Summary: When married man Eddie Kaspbrak, and his old college friend Richie Tozier stumble back in each other's lives they reconnect in a VR version of their favorite video game. What happens when the late-night sessions yield an unexpected discovery?
Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak/Myra Kaspbrak, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	Street Fighter

**Author's Note:**

> tad bit unedited. excuse any mistakes! thank u for reading!

2 Years ago.

Eddie met Myra in college, studying at the library. She had walked in wearing a peridot dress with curled ringlets in her hair and smiled at him when their eyes met. After that they started to sit together. She would always run her hand down his arm soothingly and read over his work while they sat, smiling at him. 

Myra Baker had always been different to the other women he had met in college, she looked after him, made sure he was eating and kept a steady hand on his back while they walked together. She didn’t enjoy hand holding because she would continuously tell Eddie his palms were too sweaty. But, she was safe. She didn’t party and enjoyed when they would go back to Eddie’s dorm to watch a movie and cuddle. Myra didn’t enjoy the ‘sinful’ life, as she would call it.

So when the day came that Myra kissed his lips, sticky cherry lip gloss smeared over his mouth, and asked him to meet her parents he said yes. They had never discussed dating so when Myra introduced Eddie as her boyfriend to her parents, he said nothing. And that was that. He was Myra’s boyfriend. And that was okay, Myra was just like him, he thought at the time. Myra wasn’t needy, she barely ever wanted to kiss, which was fine by Eddie. He found her sticky lipgloss a pain to try get off his lips anyway.

The only problem Myra ever had with Eddie’s life was Richie. 

She would cry to Eddie about how he mocked her, embarrassed her in front of their friends. Eddie had always wanted to speak up and say, ‘but they’re not your friend’s Myra, they’re my friends.’ But, he always kept silent. Just nodded while she would moan about Eddie hanging out with such a ‘ruffian’ who only ever cared about getting laid and getting high.

But Eddie liked Richie.

He was his best friend since forever. There wasn’t a time in his life growing up he can’t recall Richie being next to him, his buck teeth and hideous shirts filling every memory of his childhood. And he told Myra this, but she would never listen. Told him, ‘friends like that will get you killed, Eddie-bear.’ He would always shrug it off. Tell Myra he was going to go study alone, that he needed the peacefulness of the library. She would gush about how smart he was, how much of an overachiever he was turning out to be and kiss his cheek before he left, just like his mother. 

The library always turned out to be Richie’s dorm. He would let himself in and Richie would grin at him, he was always grinning at him. Tell him to set up and pick panda mountain or crystal beach to fight in, while he rolled his joint and then they'd play together. 

Richie and Eddie were like pepper and salt. So different and a weird taste to both of them, but always together, an unlikely bond. Richie hung with the stoner crowd, always lighting something up or going out of his way to smoke. Eddie didn’t understand it. In school Richie had always told him marijuana was a gateway drug, and now it seemed it was all he did. Eddie never knew what happened, that Richie felt the need to be high all the time, that the thoughts in his head weren’t worth listening to anymore. Eddie never asked.

Richie was messy, Eddie was clean. Richie passed without trying, Eddie studied hard. The list could go on, but the one thing that was shared between them was their love of Street Fighter. 

Street Fighter was a mortal kombat game that Richie had gotten Eddie into when they were kids, and to this day it was their favorite thing to do together. Richie had always picked Roxette as his character, said she was a hot ass chick who could beat any player while Eddie would always choose Lance.

“Eds, get ready to have your ass handed to you on a plate,” Richie would cackle while he would button smash the controller, something that had agitated Eddie who would actually go home and learn the special combo moves.

“In your dreams Tozier, Lance’s gonna fuck your head off,” He laughed as their characters brawled it out, Eddie in the lead.

“Fuck your head off? That doesn't even make sense. What the fuck does that mean? And you should know you’re the starring man in all of my dreams Eds,” He grinned before taking over Eddie on the leaderboard by distracting Eddie and pushing his feet into his face, “My wet dreams.” 

The comments Richie would throw at Eddie so casually always made his face burn as he stumbled to take control of the game again as Richie would laugh maniacally next to him, knowing it would distract him. Richie was a flirtatious person by nature Eddie had learned to ignore it and pass it off as nothing. Richie wasn’t even gay.

“C’mon, c’mon-- THERE WE GO, K.O. BABY! HELL YEAH!” Richie would whoop, lifting Eddie by the waist and throwing him over his shoulder, when the screen displayed: PLAYER1 WINNER. There had been a time in the midst of their cheering that Richie had slapped Eddie’s ass while he was thrown over his shoulder, but the moment had turned so awkward they had refused to speak of it. Besides, it was just a bro thing. 

Those were the best times of his life, when he and Richie used to hang out. But, that was a long time ago.

Sometime just after that night, maybe a week. He had gotten a text from Richie telling him he needed to tell him something, something life-changing. Knowing Richie, it was just about another girlfriend he had managed to find and get laid. Myra had wanted to go for dinner, so he blew Richie off. That was the night Myra asked him if he was ever going to propose and said they had been dating long enough to know it was coming eventually, and then he was engaged. Just like that.

He never heard from Richie after that night again, messages left unread and finally his number got blocked. Unbeknownst to him, it was the night Richie had finally worked up the courage to come out and tell his best friend, the only person he had ever felt this way about that he loved him, he didn’t need Myra and that they could be happy together. 

Richie Tozier was head over heels in love with Eddie Kaspbrak. The guy who would kick him in his sleep, make crude jokes about his sister-- and always smiled the brightest when he would look at him.

But, as it went -- He never got to tell him. And the news of Eddie’s engagement sent him over the edge completely. He couldn’t bear to look at him without the urge to cry and get sick all at the same time.

But that had been two years ago.

…

“Eddie!” 

He grumbled, turning over in his bed and crushing his face into his pillow. Hoping that if he ignored Myra, she would stop yelling at him. Knowing her she was about to break down the door and drag him out of bed. 

He was right. Not a minute later she was at the foot of their bed grabbing his ankle and pulling him down, threatening to take him the full way if he didn’t get up, shower and help her set up for their party. ‘Their’ party, Eddie could laugh.

He knew there was no hope of a lie in and just grumbled out a, ‘yes dear.’ And sleepily rose from the bed, stretching, doing what she asked. That was what you did when you were married, he supposed, you listen and do what you're told. He sighed, he thought marrying Myra was going to be the greatest day of his life. So far it’s like nothing has changed. She still checks his temperature if he coughs in her presence, she still washes all his laundry and even now -- she won’t touch him.

When Eddie was younger, the idea of sex bothered him. What were these guys talking about? He didn’t understand how any of it was supposed to feel good. And then he got older. He didn’t feel the urge to have sex with every woman with a heart beat like most men but even then, Eddie liked the idea of it -- he wasn’t a prude. Being that intimate with a person, sharing yourself. It sounded nice. Myra thought it was wrong. Never seemed interested when he would try to further their kisses with gentle touches on her waist, up her sides. Just pushed him away laughing coyly as if Eddie was doing something so strange it was laughable. He wasn’t sure what had brought it up but he remembers Myra vividly telling him, “Urges like that lead to bad choices, you might realize something is wrong Eddie. What we have is nice, we don’t need to ruin it.”

He never understood what she had meant. ‘Realize’ something, what an odd thing to say. Until Eddie got it. He knew why Myra wasn’t keen on sex, he understood perfectly. It happened during his late night browses on PornHub when he would sit in the bathroom away from where Myra might catch him. Like he was dirty. He had been scrolling aimlessly when the thumbnail of those two men stood out to him, he hadn’t even opened the video before he started to get off, his release coming quicker than anytime before as images of dark hair and dark eyes filled his mind. Shame filling his veins when he realised what he had done. The tears falling from his eyes as he covered his face, his body shaking as he thought about what would happen if Myra had found out.

Shaking those thoughts out of his head as he stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water cascaded down his face. Never again, he had promised himself that night. Never again would he fantasize about anyone other than Myra -- And every night he broke his promise to himself. The party tonight was for Eddie’s birthday, his twenty-first. Myra had invited everybody. Well, she had arranged the whole thing really. He just hoped she felt lenient enough to invite Bill and Stan. Ever since she met them she had a distaste towards them, he tried to ignore the reason why but it always lingered over his head when he would see her sneering at their interlocked hands. 

Bill had come out to him the night before his and Myra’s wedding. Six months ago. It had come as a shock. Bill had had girlfriend upon girlfriend in college. For him to tell him it never worked out because he instead enjoyed the company of men was the part Eddie couldn’t forget. It was like a punch in the gut and he didn’t understand why till now. They both cried as Bill began to tell him about the guy he was seeing, Stanley Uris. Eddie remembered him from a class they shared before. He was a quiet guy who would always whisper dirty jokes to Eddie and pretend he had said nothing when the professor would yell out to them for causing noise. Eddie liked Stan. He was happy for Bill, he could see it had been hard for him to come out and tell Eddie.

Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist he began to shave, knowing Myra wouldn’t kiss him if he didn’t. ‘I don’t like the shaving burns you leave Eddie.’ There was always something blocking Myra from being close to Eddie, like if she touched him she was going to go straight to hell. Eddie just thought it was because maybe he wasn’t that nice to look at. He had always had self confidence issues but the fact that even his own wife couldn’t bare to touch him was what stung the most. ‘Maybe I am just that undesirable,’ he used to think, before he had his discovery about his own self. Clouded by his thoughts he ended up nicking the side of his skin, the blood dripping onto the porcelain sink. He knew Myra would have a conniption if he didn’t clean that up.

Walking downstairs in the red sweater and undershirt with his black slacks Myra had chosen, he could see her humming along to the radio, sweeping the floor. He had always liked watching Myra dance, it was when he was reminded why he married her. She had a gentle side he didn’t get to see very often, but when he did it made him smile. It wasn’t often he found himself smiling at Myra. 

“Eddie!” She yelped, noticing his hovering presence in the kitchen. She hated being startled, especially in a position like that -- letting herself go, she would say it was unlady like. 

“You dummy,” She grumbled, noticing the nick on his chin as she ran a thumb over it, “How did you manage that? Can’t even trust you to shave yourself anymore,” She laughed, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek before going back to sweeping, turning the radio off in the process.

“Just got distracted thinking of you my love,” He replied sweetly, watching her face twist before she looked over to smile at him. That was something Eddie had noticed early on in their relationship. Myra didn’t like to be called anything but Myra. No pet names. It didn’t bother him much at the start, until he realised he was always going to be just Eddie to her. Always Eddie & Myra. He hadn’t known why it annoyed him so much until he realised it was just another thing that made him self conscious of himself and who he was. As if he wasn’t worth a nickname. It stung a bit. 

About half an hour later; after he decided to stop having a mental breakdown in the kitchen and actually help, he and Myra were setting the food she had made out on tables, guests started to arrive. Mandy, Sarah, Amber -- All Myra’s friends so far, he noted grimly. Sitting himself down in a deck chair outside by the fairy lights Myra had set up, he nursed his first beer of the night, knowing it wouldn’t be his last. He knew Myra was upset at the fact he was drinking already by the glares she was sending to him, but he didn’t care. It was his birthday, he could drink some fucking beer if he wanted.

Another hour later Eddie was beginning to come to terms with the fact that Myra hadn’t invited his friends. He was going to be stuck all night standing idly by Myra on his birthday, as she spoke about taxes or elections all night with people he didn’t even know. When finally, Bill and Stan came strolling inside hugging Myra politely by the door and handing her a bottle of wine, before spotting Eddie by the drinks table and giving a shout of acknowledgement.

“Eddie!” Bill cried, “It’s so good to see you!” He yelled in his ear, pulling him in for a tight hug as Stan smiled, pulling him into his own hug when Bill finally released him from his monster grip. “Happy birthday Eddie,” Stan whispered, pulling back and giving him a neatly decorated present from behind his back. 

“Don’t worry Eddie, it’s just something small,” Stan laughed, noticing the look on Eddie’s face. “Open it!”

Tearing away at the wrapping and opening the lid, Eddie laughed pulling them in for another hug. A bottle of smirnoff lay wrapped in a pink bow, with a little card on top written in Bill’s chicken scratch writing saying ‘happy birthday eddie, enjoy the hangover xx’. 

“Thanks guys, I’ll be needing it tonight,” He chuckled sarcastically as he watched Myra as she laughed and flashed the ring Eddie had bought her around to anyone who was listening. Bill and Stan glanced at each other with furrowed brows before laughing along with Eddie, not knowing why he stayed with the woman who made his life so unlivable.

Twisting the cap off and taking a gulp of the shoulder wincing, Eddie whooped loudly. “Let’s get this fucking party started!” The stern look Myra sent his way across the garden was worth it when he felt the heat of the vodka hit his stomach, calming his nerves. Bill laughed loudly, grabbing his and Stan’s arm and going to the decking where there was loud music playing. Knowing Myra chose the music, it wasn’t going to be anything spectacular but he would take what he could get, and a night dancing with his best friends didn’t sound so bad to him.

It was nearing the end of the night when guests started to slowly leave, Eddie saw him.

Richie Tozier. Just standing in his kitchen, hair pulled back in a messy low bun and a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head. Eddie’s eyes darted down to his legs seeing as how they were clad in the tightest pair of black jeans he must’ve owned, holding a present in his much too large hands looking like a lost sheep.

“Is that Richie fucking Tozier!” He yelled out, watching Richie’s eyes dart to him before he was being engulfed completely by Richie’s long limbs. His cologne was spicy, Eddie thought as he leaned into the warm hug of Richie Tozier. It was over too soon he realised as he stumbled forward into Richie when he pulled back, instinctively leaning into him like old times when Richie would always have an arm slung around his shoulder.

“Eddie Kaspbrak,” Richie breathed out, more to himself than to Eddie, but he still heard him. Holding his shoulders still, Eddie watched his eyes move down his body. Feeling the heat settle at the pit of his stomach when Richie had his eye on him like that, like he was something worth looking at. Before he moved them back up to meet his gaze, just cocking an eyebrow and smirking when he realised he had been caught looking. Richie had always been looking at him like that, he realised, when they were younger and just lounging about in one of their dorms. Richie’s eyes always followed him wherever he went, he wondered what it meant. He blamed the inquisitiveness on the drink.

“What are you doing here Richie?” He laughed, stumbling back a bit so Richie would drop his hold on his shoulders, forgetting completely that this had been the guy to grow up with him and ghost him for almost two years, his anger gradually dissipated completely at the sight of him. Maybe, he was a little bit more than drunk.

“Heard it was your birthday and I wanted to catch up,” He grinned, “You look really good Eds,” He mumbled his eyes darkening a bit as he licked his lips.

“Oh-- Uh, yeah you too!” Eddie stuttered, face reddening in that way Richie had only ever been able to do to him. “How did you find me? And my uh, my house?”

“I’m friends with Stan.” Came the cool response. As Richie caught sight of Stan behind Eddie and gave him a grin and a nod.

“Oh!” Eddie replied, turning back to Stan and raising a brow at him when all he got was a smirk in response. He would never have put Richie and Stan in the same room together but he supposes it made sense for them to be friends if he thought about it, stan had always been a funny guy and Richie was the King of comedy.

“Oh? What’s wrong with Stan?” Richie replied sounding a bit tense, “Stan’s a great guy.”

Eddie rolled his eyes before replying, “I know asshole, he’s dating my best friend. I just didn’t think you guys would be friends that’s all.” The relief on Richie’s face was evident. It peeved Eddie, did Richie think Eddie didn’t like Stan because he was gay? Did he honestly think that little of him--

“Eddie! Who’s this?” Myra called sweetly, before lacing her arm through Eddies. She grimaced when she realised who it was. “Oh. Hello Richie. What a surprise to see you here.” Came her clipped response, which Richie took notice of immediately feeling the tension rolling off her words, as he widened his eyes in surprise before schooling his features back to something more neutral.

“Lovely to see you again Myra,” He mumbled, forcing a smile and pointedly not meeting her gaze.

“Right. I’m going to go say bye to Margaret and Liam, I’ll talk to you about this later Eddie.” Kissing his cheek, she left to go speak to a couple he had never even seen before that night. Her absence had left a sour tension in the air between them, both not knowing what to say after that.

It was Richie who broke the silence, “ Well, looks like she still wants my dick then,” He laughed as Eddie rolled his eyes pushing his shoulder to say, ‘shut up.’ 

Eyeing the box in Richie’s hand, he raised his eyebrow at Richie before pointing at it, “So? Is that for me?” Eddie asked as he watched Richie’s eyes light up in excitement when he realised what he was talking about. Grabbing his hand he pulled him into the living room, where there were significantly less people and set the box on the sofa. Gesturing for Eddie to sit down and open it.

Carefully he tore the paper away and opened the box, a gasp leaving his mouth when he realised what it was. Looking up at Richie he saw him biting his lip nervously, obviously unsure if his gift was welcomed or not. Looking back at the box he gingerly ran his finger over the console, eyeing the game that came with it. Street Fighter, the new VR version. It had only come out last month. Meaning, it must have been way too expensive for Richie to throw away on just him.

“Richie I-” He began before Richie interrupted him.

“Before you say anything like it was too expensive, or I shouldn’t have. I just want to say I wanted to. It wasn’t too much for me, I have a stable job now. Do you actually like it? I figured we could play together again, like old times.”

Before Richie knew it, Eddie was throwing his arms around his neck and pulling him in for a tight hug. “I love it Rich,” He whispered into his neck, feeling Richie’s arms snake around his waist and pull him in closer. Much too close for two grown men who were just ‘friends’ but it didn’t matter if anyone saw, because he had missed Richie’s hugs and he’d be damned if he let this one end earlier than needs be.

“I’m glad you do Eds.”


End file.
